Podcasts stand out among media platforms due to their unique flexibility, allowing audiences to choose between watching or listening. While video options are steadily gaining traction, audio remains the primary mode of consumption.

For the 14th edition of the *Podcast Download* series, Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights collaborated with Quantilope to conduct an in-depth survey of 603 weekly podcast listeners between April 21-30, 2025. Since 2017, two studies have been conducted annually. The Spring 2025 report reveals various trends, including platform preferences, content consumption habits, and the growing role of podcast advertising.

Primary Mode of Consumption of Podcast Listeners

– Audio remains the primary mode of podcast consumption for 58% of weekly listeners, despite increasing video options.
– The trend towards watching podcasts has grown, with 42% of consumers actively watching video content while listening.

Leading Platforms

– YouTube is identified as the leading podcast platform, with consumer usage rising from 15% to 39% since 2019.
– Despite YouTube’s dominance, 61% of podcast consumers primarily use other platforms for their podcast consumption.

Podcast Newcomers

– The popularity of watchable podcasts has surged among Podcast Newcomers, with 40% now using YouTube as their primary platform.
– 44% of new podcast listeners report discovering their preferred shows on YouTube, significantly outpacing Spotify and Apple.

Audience Measurement Issues of Podcast Listeners

– Current podcast audience measurements may underestimate actual listeners due to the absence of co-listening metrics.
– An estimated 43% of podcast consumers listen with others, suggesting a greater audience size than current download figures indicate.

Engagement Trends

– 75% of weekly podcast consumers revisit missed episodes, highlighting strong listener engagement.
– 70% of episodes are consumed within 24 hours of release, indicating a preference for timely content.

Podcast Advertising Effectiveness

– Podcast hosts demonstrate three times more influence than social media influencers, enhancing the effectiveness of podcast advertising.
– Advertiser adoption of podcast advertising has increased dramatically, with usage jumping from 15% to 59% over the past decade.

Video vs. Audio Consumption of Podcast Listeners

– An increasing number of consumers listen to podcasts while video content plays in the background, shifting from 30% to 42% participation.
– The decline in listening to podcasts without any video suggests a growing integration of visual elements in podcasting.

Discoverability Dynamics

– YouTube serves as a crucial discovery platform for new podcasts, functioning similarly to a search engine for entertainment.
– The features of YouTube, such as autoplay and recommendations, significantly contribute to its use among podcast audiences.

Podcast Growth and Consumption

– Podcast consumption has surged from 15% to 59% over the past decade.
– YouTube leads as a podcast platform, showcasing a diverse listening audience.

Importance of Video in Podcasts

– Watchable podcasts are on the rise, appealing to newcomers.
– Podcasters should consider incorporating video for wider reach.

Effectiveness of Podcast Advertising

– Podcast hosts hold three times the influence of social media influencers.
– Podcast ads are increasingly adopted by target audiences, avoiding traditional ads.

Recommendations From This Study

  • Podcast studies should include podcast watchers: If you are running a study on podcasts but only including podcast listeners, you are missing around 4% of total podcast consumers.
  • Create norms for co-listening: Current audience calculations based on downloads do not account for the percentage of podcast consumers who say they consume with others.
  • Podcasters and publishers should contemplate the inclusion of video in their podcast planning: As podcast listening grows, it picks up new consumers who use YouTube as their one-stop entertainment/information destination. Spotify and Apple’s recently expanded access to video provides more choice for consumers. Even audio-only podcasts should consider video trailers as a tool to drive discovery to their audio feeds.
  • Consider YouTube: Even audio-only podcasts should consider using YouTube as a distribution and discovery platform. People often use YouTube to listen while not actively watching the video portion. You don’t always need to post full episodes to reach audiences on YouTube.
  • Advertisers can use podcasts to reclaim consumers lost to ad-free video streaming: As an on-demand medium, podcasts deliver heavy viewership of ad-free video streaming. 88% of weekly podcast consumers say they have watched an ad-free video streaming service in the past month.

Don’t Overthink It: JUST START

Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy®, from Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants

Copyright 2025 Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy™